Gary Couch and family

Couch, 45, led a management buyout of Essex-based Apollo Group in 2006. Last year Lloyds TSB Development Capital sold its 20.5% stake to HBOS in a £410m deal including debt. The other 79.5% is held by Couch, who is chief executive, and his staff and management team. Apollo provides public and private sector property services and has an order book worth about £750m. Allowing for debt, the company should easily be worth £300m. Couch's stake is about £40m, taking into account any investment he made in the first buyout.